Everything you put into your body while you’re pregnant affects your unborn baby. The role of the vital minerals, nutrients and vitamins that our body needs regularly is amplified during pregnancy and become not only more important for maintaining your health, but also for creating a strong, healthy baby. Iron is one of these vital minerals, and its importance in the body of a pregnant woman cannot be over stated.

What is iron?

Iron is an essential mineral that all human bodies need. It is responsible primarily for the transportation of oxygen around the body, as part of the protein haemoglobin. It also forms part of many enzymes and plays a part in other important functions such as digesting food.

Why is it so important?

Humans need oxygen – that’s hardly news to anyone who enjoys breathing – but the work that oxygen does in our body is far more diverse than simply filling up our lungs. Haemoglobin, a protein that is made up in part from iron, is the protein responsible for transporting the oxygen in our lungs to other areas in the body, where it fuels movement and normal motor function, in addition to other things. Low iron can impair this function, causing slower reaction times, delayed motor skill and cognitive ability, and general fatigue.

Iron and pregnancy

Pregnant women are at a higher risk of iron deficiency due to an increased amount of blood in the body. A pregnant woman’s blood volume increases throughout gestation until she has almost 50 percent more blood than usual. As a result, more haemoglobin needs to be made, so more iron is required. In addition to this, many women unknowingly have iron deficiencies before they even become pregnant, which makes them more susceptible to conditions such as anaemia while pregnant.

Iron in pregnancy is also needed for creating strong healthy bones in your baby, as well a strong placenta. Low iron stores during pregnancy have been linked with lower birth weights, preterm deliveries and infant mortality.

Recommended daily intakes:

According to the Better Health Channel, these are the recommended daily iron intakes for people at different stages of life:

Foods rich in iron

Firstly, it’s important to note there are two different types of dietary iron – haem iron and non-haem iron.

Haem iron is the type of iron found in animal tissue, such as beef, lamb, chicken and fish. The body absorbs just under 25 percent of the iron found in animal foods.

Non-haem iron is also found in animal products, and in plant foods such as lentils and dried beans. The issue with non-haem iron is that we only absorb only eight percent of the iron from these plant sources, which means it is particularly important for vegetarians to ensure they are getting enough.

It’s also important to note that while offal, such as liver and other organ meat, is one of the best sources of haem iron, it’s not recommended for pregnant women due to the amount of Vitamin A contained in these foods, as high levels of this form of vitamin A has been linked with birth defects.

More related reading:

Breastfeeding is best for babies and provides many benefits. Combined breast and bottle feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of your own breast milk. Always consult your doctor, midwife or health care professional for advice about feeding your baby. This post is part of the Early Life Nutrition story.